Choral concert draws 220 high schoolers to Plymouth

PLYMOUTH — More than 220 high school students from 50 New England high schools will join Plymouth State University ensemble singers in the 46th annual All New England Choral festival tonight at 7 p.m. at the Silver Center for the Arts.

The youth will join the PSU chorale and chamber singers, directed by PSU Professor Dan Perkins, conductor and artistic director of the festival. PSU collaborative pianist Charlie Blood will accompany the singers.

The concert is the culmination of weeks of preparation and a full day of rehearsals for the students and workshops for their teachers. J.W. Pepper music company and voice faculty instructor Emily Jaworski will present workshops during the day.

This year's theme, "Images of Light," will be highlighted by projections of the aurora borealis and other images by Christopher Georgia, an astrophotographer and graduate of Plymouth Regional High School, as well as program selections, including "Lux aurumque" by Eric Whitacre; "Northern Lights" by Gjeilo; "True Light" by Hampton and "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" by Dolly Parton.

The PSU Chamber Singers, with 16 to 24 voices, performs both on and off campus, traveling to England, South Africa, Vietnam, Italy, Canada, the American Southwest and throughout New England and the East Coast. The University Chorale features 70 to 80 voices and often collaborates with other New Hampshire choirs and orchestras.

Tickets are $12-$15. For details, call 535-2787 or (800) 779-3869 or visit silver.plymouth.edu.